A Win for WIC
Community Renewal Society (CRS) is relieved to announce that the 416 E. 43rd Street WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) site is approved to stay open until March 2026.
We thank the community for writing letters to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, contacting city leaders, amplifying this issue on their media platforms and from the pulpit, and signing our petition to stop WIC clinics from closing, some of which disappointingly shut down on July 30.
Your advocacy has an impact. Because of community voices, the WIC grocery store on 43rd Street remains open for now. This means dozens of employees at this critically needed facility can keep their jobs, protecting their livelihoods and stability.
But this fight is not over. We continue to call on Catholic Charities to:
Maintain the 416 E. 43rd Street location indefinitely, and/or
Provide severance and transitional support for workers from closed sites
Ensure displaced workers have timely, secure, adequate, comparable, or better employment with dignity and care
Here’s how you can help press forward:
Contact Catholic Charities leadership and urge them to commit to the demands above.
Reach out to your elected representatives (city, county, and state) and emphasize the urgent need to preserve WIC services in communities of color. WIC is a federally funded program, and elected officials have the power to ensure families continue to access basic necessities, essential supplies, and social services.
Use your platforms in worship, newsletters, and on social media to share what’s at stake and invite others to speak out.
Stick alongside the WIC employees by amplifying their stories and supporting any organizing efforts that arise.
We urge our member congregations, faith leaders, coalition partners, and community advocates to stay engaged. Our collective pressure matters, and it will take solidarity to push Catholic Charities and public officials toward action.
CRS also magnifies Mayor Brandon Johnson’s August 28 executive order. It establishes nutrition standards and takes another step toward building a healthy Beloved Community that has the resources to grow and thrive.